Judith moved to the U.S. from Haiti in 2013 with her three children and found an entry level position, knowing she needed an income to support her family. Working in housekeeping for a hotel was hard, physical work, but she didn’t have strong enough English skills to secure a higher role. In 2016, Judith had another child, Franchesca. When Franchesca entered second grade at Village Academy, Judith learned about the Literacy Coalition’s Village Readers Family Education program. She was excited about the opportunity to attend free evening adult English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) classes. Even better, through the program, Franchesca could also receive afterschool tutoring and attend an evening literacy enrichment program.
Since enrolling in the program in August of 2022, Judith and Franchesca have both made measurable gains in their language and literacy skills. Franchesca, who really struggled in her academics when she started in our program, has blossomed this year, going from a nonreader to reading nearly on grade level. Last year, Franchesca did everything in her power to distract her tutor and avoid reading. Now, she can decode all the challenging words in the books they read. She can self-correct her mistakes using multiple strategies. She is comprehending and even enjoying the books they read. Her mom is thrilled that the “homework struggle” has subsided, and when Franchesca needs help, Judith is proud to be able to assist. In addition to being able to help Franchesca with school work, Judith is proud of the promotion she received at work due to her increased language skills. Franchesca is proud of Mom’s improvement, too. She told her teacher, “My mom learned how to speak English! She used to always say, ‘I’m love you,’ and now she says, ‘I love you.'” Judith and Franchesca continue to learn and together.
